Protecting our Ponds

WEST GIPPSLAND CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

Protecting Our Ponds Project

2018/19 Highlights

In 2016, the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA) received funding through the Victorian Government’s Our Catchments, Our Communities program to run a four-year project called ‘Protecting Our Ponds’.

The project took an integrated approach to protecting the unique waterways known as a ‘Chain of Ponds’.

What is a chain of ponds?These waterway systems are characterised by irregularly spaced, often oval shaped ponds linked by shallow floodways. These waterways were once common across South-eastern Australia but are now very rare. No fully intact Chain of Ponds are known to currently exist.

The purpose of the Protecting Our Ponds project is to:

1. Protect intact Chain of Ponds and associated flora and fauna;

2. Rehabilitate recovering Chain of Ponds and reduce downstream sediment

movement; and

3. Protect core habitat and establish linkages (terrestrial, riparian and wetland) to

support associated flora and fauna in the Providence Ponds and Perry River

catchment.

Our projectProvidence Ponds, the Perry River and their tributaries form a ‘Chain of Ponds’. The Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment is unique as it still contains sections of intact ponds as well as ponds that are recovering from erosion processes.

The first year focused on laying a solid foundation for the project. We talked to the local community and agencies to find out their concerns and to develop an understanding of the natural values within the Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment area.

We reviewed and analysed available information and data, held workshops and organised a field trip. The project involved partnerships with Trust for Nature, Wellington Shire Council, Maffra and Districts Landcare Network and HVP Plantations, so it was vital to have a shared understanding and clear goals. From our research and consultation, we developed a discussion paper and then produced a Strategic Directions Statement and project implementation plan.

Years two and three focused on delivering the implementation plan. Sub-projects were identified to help protect and rehabilitate the ponds. These were developed in collaboration with our delivery partners.

We held regular project working group meetings, so we could collaborate, share information and provide updates on how each sub-project was progressing.

Actions undertaken as part of these sub-projects included:

• establishing vegetated buffers along the waterway system

• conducting pest plant and animal control activities

• establishing conservation covenants and fencing to exclude or manage stock where there is land manager support

Dry conditions have had an impact on the catchment during the past two years, which has led to delays in implementing some of these sub-projects.

2018/19 Project highlights

Wellington Shire Council worked with the WGCMA to target roadside African Lovegrass in the Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment. African Lovegrass is an introduced species that spreads easily and competes with native species. All planned roadsides were inspected and sprayed with appropriate herbicide in Autumn 2019, to follow up on the weed control works in Spring 2018. Council encourages local landholders to act on their private land to help control the spread of the weed.

Trust for Nature worked with landholders to control high threat weeds in the riparian buffer zone, including African Lovegrass and Blackberry, and then replaced the weeds with native vegetation. Trust for Nature is also working to establish covenants to expand the area of native vegetation under formal protection. More than 100 ha of remnant native vegetation has been fenced on private land to help protect it from grazing pressure. Circle plantings of native wildflowers and shrubs were scattered over 8.82 ha of Red Gum Grassy Woodland to improve the condition and extent of habitat within an existing covenanted site.

HVP Plantations is working in partnership with Trust for Nature to develop a 20-year strategy to create riparian buffers within the HVP Plantations managed estate, located in the Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment.

Seven priority erosion sites that were impacting ponds within the HVP Plantations managed estate were remediated this year. This involved earthworks and weed control. Once the earthworks sites have settled, they will be further stabilised by planting native vegetation.

WGCMA worked with landholders to protect of some of the best quality ponds on private land in the catchment. Complementing past works, an additional 14.89 ha of Chain of Ponds waterway was fenced, 18.86 ha was revegetated, and 91.13 ha underwent a weed control program. Two troughs were installed to provide off-stream watering points. Earthworks occurred at one site to control the impacts of erosion.

To understand the current extent and condition of the Chain of Ponds, we engaged Pathways Bushland and Environment to conduct an inventory and assessment of the waterway system. The results provide a baseline condition for the ponds system that can be measured over time.

Protecting our Ponds

For more information visit our website http://www.wgcma.vic.gov.au/protecting-our-ponds

PO Box 1344 Traralgon VIC 3844T: 1300 094 262E: westgippy@wgcma.vic.gov.au

This project is supported by West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority through funding from the Victorian Government’s Our Catchments, Our Communities Program.

Showcasing the pondsTrust for Nature held a field day in July 2018 to showcase the vegetation restoration works that had already commenced and to undertake tree planting with local community members on the day. People who came to the field day said that they learnt a lot and that they would be happy to attend future field days. They are keen for the revegetation works to continue within their local area.

Trust for Nature, HVP Plantations and the WGCMA were involved in the creation of a video in May 2019 to promote the Our Catchments, Our Communities program and Protecting Our Ponds project. This provided a wonderful opportunity for Victorian Government investor representatives to see both on-ground outcomes achieved to date and the strong partnerships that have been formed throughout the life of the project as a result of their funding program. The positive ongoing partnership continues to be a major highlight of the project.

Key project statistics

Cumulative on ground work achieved to date:

• 13.5 km of fencing (encompassing 133.88 ha) to exclude stock from the ponds and remnant native vegetation

• Installed four troughs to provide off-stream watering for stock

• Planted more than 40 ha of native vegetation to increase habitat in the catchment

• Over 1,800 ha of works to control high threat weeds on public and private land

• Pest animal control work on 46.6 ha of private land

• Establishment of controlled grazing regimes on over 100 ha to lessen grazing pressure on the ponds

• Remediation of eight priority erosion sites